Wheel



Sept. 20, 1938. F. c. FRANK 2,130,881

WHEEL Filed April 24, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 1 v IN VEN TOR. FPEDE'R/CK C. F'Ffl/VA BY i: W

A TTORNEY Sept. 20, 1938. c, FRANK 2,130,881

' WHEEL Filed April 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY 55 tiOIl Only, and not intended to define the 93 the wheel respectively. It will be noted that 55 Patented Sept. 1938 2 130 331 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice WHEEL Frederick 0. Frank, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix Products Corporation, South Bend, Ind.,- a corporation of Indiana Application April 24;, 1935, Serial No. 17,902

6 Claims. (Cl. 301-65) This invention relates to wheels and more of the invention, reference being had for that particularly to wheels for aircraft. purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the construction of wheels for use in air- In the drawings, wherein similar reference craft it is desirable that the wheels be as light characters refer to similar parts throughout the 5 as is possiblefconsistent with incorporating the several views: 6 desired strength. Such Wheels are frequently Figure 1 is a view in outboard side elevation subjected to severe shock and over-load when the Of 8- Wheel e o y the features o t s 11' aircraft is landing. This is especially true where vention; forced landings are made, at which time, in order Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the lines 0 to minimize the rolling distance of the airplane 2-2 of Figure 1; after contacting the ground, it frequently hap- Figure 3 is a view taken on the lines 33 of pens that the aircraft contacts the ground at Figure 1; a relatively high descending velocity. The dam- Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view similar age resulting to the aircraft and the occupants to a portion of Figure Showing a od fied form thereof due to a wheel failure, are so severe that of the invention; 15 it is necessary to take all possible precautions to u e 5 is a V Similar o Figure but minimize such failures. It is therefore necessary Showing a modified form of the invention; d that wheels intended for use on aircraft be espe- Fi e 6 is a ecti V ew a e n t e nes cially strong to withstand these periodical severe 66 of Fi over-loads. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, there 20 An object of this invention is therefore to prois shown a wh el s r ture havin a hub section vide a very strong, yet light, wheel adapted espea d a d pe rim The u d rim cially for use with aircraft. of the wheel are joined together by means of Another object of the invention is to provide a ll d corrugated w structure w in a a wheel incorporating the desired features of thin Wall O metal 3, Exte ding arially along the 25 strength and lightness, which may be easily h b t an n le there is pr c i a pl e formed by a casting process. to meet with the inner portion of the drop- A further object of the invention is to provide Center rim in a Plane at an angle with respect o a very strong wheel adapted especially for us the axis of the wheel. The thin wall of metal i3 with road vehicles, then' projects in a plane perpendicular to the 30 A still further object of the invention is to proaxis of t Wh e along e i a d e O he duce a strong wheel having a corrugated web Wheel to r the arcuate-shaped Sections structure having transversely extending webs be- The Wall Of metal then P j back across tween the hub and the rim, disposed at an angle to the outboard side of the wheel to form the wit r ect t th a of th wheel to m marcuate-shaped sections it. The wall of metal 35 tate the casting of the wheel. l3 weaves back and forth between the inboard Another object of theqnvention is to provide and outboard sides of the wheel until the entire & corrugated disc or web Wheel having a drop circumference of the wheel between the hub and center rim the rim has been covered by these so-called Another object of the invention is to produce corrugated sectmns' .40 a wheel wherein a drop-center rim is employed Tms structure lends itself nicely to ma to provide a maximum space to receive the inner the wheel casting mould The hub core 15 the only core that it is necessary to use in the formatube of a tire, and a corrugated disc or web wheel men of the complete Whe 81. The pattern is so P i de.slgned to Supply maxlmum Strength formed that after the metal has solidified, the 45 p61 t welght of w Wheel' mould may be separated, leaving the wheel com- A still further ob ect of the invention is to pletely formed A very Simple and inexpensive provide a wheel adapted particularly for stream- 'method of f in a wheel is thus 1 d lining the wheel structure to produce the mini- Any desired number of corrugated ti mum air resistance when movinglthrough the air. may be employed o ist t with the require- 50 Other objects and advantages of this invention ments of strength and lightness. This embodiwill appear from the following detailed descripment of the invention shows a structure wherein tion, taken in connection with the accompanyfour arcuate-shaped sections I4 and i6 are ing drawings, submitted for purposes of illustraformed. on the inboard and outboard sides of ais eei four corrugated sections are formed on each the inboard and outboard sides of the wheel between the hub I0 and the drop-center rim i2. llnthis embodiment of the invention eight thin walls of metal l8 project between the hub i0 and the drop-center rim H2, at an angle with respect to the axis of the wheel. The arcuate-szhaped sections it and i6, projecting from the hub to the rim, may be cut away to decrease the weight of the structure, thereby forming apertures 28. It has been found from tests that the removal of the metal in this area will not impair the strength of the wheel.

Figure 2 shows the hub portion Ill of the wheel to fit into an annular depression 42 formed in the outboard side walls of the drop-center rim ii. The cap it is designed to slide into the bearing face 30 to seal the end of the bearing and to prevent the bearing lubricantfrom escaping. The plate 38 is fixed to the rim section 92, by means of studs it threaded into bosses 56 car-, ried by the arcuate-shaped section it of the wheel.

The rim i2 is of the drop-center type, having tire engaging flanges 52, flat sections 5t, and inwardly sloping sections 56 terminating in a reduced section 58. Greater air capacity is thus provided within the tire, so that greater resiliency is afiorded, resulting in better operation of the vehicle to'which the wheel is attached.

-The outboard side of the wheel is formed with a plurality of indentations 50 overlying the arcuate-shaped section it to compensate for the inwardly sloping section 56 of the rim i2. Reinforcing flanges 62 extending from the outer edges of arcuate-shaped sections E6 to the outboard tire engaging flange 52 reinforce this section of the wheel.

The outboard side of the wheel is also provided with indentations M overlying the projected upper surface of the arcuate-shaped sections M. A reinforcing flange 66, extending from the outboard tire engaging flange 52, extends between the indentations 64 and projects axially across the wheel to the inner surface of the arcuate-shaped section it on the opposite side of the wheel.

The inboard side of the wheel is provided with v a brake drum l0 fixed to the arcuate-shaped Y of the rim section I2 by means of bolts 82.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of the invention wherein a corrugated wall ofmetal W extends between the axle HD and the rim H2. The corrugated wall weaves back and forth axially about'the circumference of the wheel inv a manner similar to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Obviously, any desired number of corrugatedseotions may be employed to meet the requirements of strength, size of the wheel, desired weight, etc.

While the invention has been described with reference to two particular embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention shall be restricted to the features shown, nor otherwise, than by the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cast airplane wheel having inboard and outboard sides, a hub, a drop-center rim, a plurality of triangular shaped flat inboard side walls extending between the hub and rim, a plurality of triangular shaped flat outboard side walls extending in generally parallel relation with the inboard side walls between the hub and rim and staggered with respect to the inboard side walls, and means including a plurality of flat walls of metal diverging from the outer edges of the triangular shaped inboard side walls to the triangular shaped outboard side walls to build up a continuous web about the circumference of the wheel, said rim having tire bead supporting flanges substantially radially in line with said inboard and outboard flat side walls whereby a maximum of direct support to said hub immediately beneath said flanges is provided.

2. An airplane wheel having inboard and outboard sides, a hub, a drop-center rim, a plurality of generally triangular shaped'flat inboard side walls extending between the hub and rim, a plurality of generally triangular shaped flat outboard side walls extending between the hub and rim and staggered with respect to the inboard side walls, means including a plurality of flat walls diverging from the inboard side walls to the outboard side walls to buildup a continuous web about the circumference of the wheel, and reinforcing flanges associated with the rim and extending axially, said rim having tire bead supporting flanges substantially radially in line with said inboard and outboard flat side walls whereby a maximum of direct support to said hub immediately beneath said flanges is provided across the wheel from' the midsections of the inboard and outboard side walls.

3. A cast airplane wheel having a hub, a rim, connecting means between the hub and rim comprising flat staggered generally triangular shaped inboard and outboard walls extending in generally parallel relation between the hub and rim on opposite sides of the wheel, and a plurality of walls extending axially across the hub and rim at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel and interconnecting the opposite extremities of the flat staggered generally parallel inboard and outboard walls on opposite sides of the hub, said rim'having tire bead supporting flanges substantially radially in line with said inboard and outboard flat side walls whereby a maximum of direct support to said hub immediately beneath said flanges is provided.

4. A cast airplane wheel having a hub, a rim, connecting means between the hub and rim comprising flat staggered substantially triangular shaped thin walls of metal having apertures therein extending in generally parallel relation between the hub and rim on opposite sides of the wheel and a plurality of flat thin walls of metal extending axially across the hub at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel and interconnecting the opposite extremities of the generally parallel walls on opposite sides of the hub, and reinforcing flanges extending axially across the wheel from the midsection of the substantially triangular walls, said rim hav ais ssi ing tire bead supporting flanges substantially radially in line with said staggered flat side walls whereby a maximum of direct support to said hub immediately beneath said flanges is provided.

5. A cast integral airplane wheel comprising a hub having spaced bearing supports and a rim having spaced tire bead supporting flanges, a plurality of staggered generally triangularshaped substantially flat parallel walls extending from the hub to the rim substantially in axial alignment with said flanges, and a plurality of walls extending substantially longitudinally of the hub from points adjacent the spaced bearing supports to points adjacent the spaced tire-engaging flanges and interconnecting the staggered generally? triangular-shaped substantially parallel walls extending from the hub to the rim.

6. A cast integral airplane wheel comprising a hub having spaced bearing supports and a rim having spaced tire bead supporting flanges, a plurality of staggered generally triangularshaped substantially flat parallel walls extending from the hub to the rim substantially inaxial alignment with said flanges, a plurality of walls extending substantially' longitudinally of the hub interconnecting the staggered generally triangular-shaped walls extending from the hub to the rim, and reinforcing flanges associated with the rim and the generally triangular-shaped walls and projecting axially across the wheel.

FREDERICK c. FRANK. 

